Cristina Castracani

About

During my MSc and my PhD I worked on the behaviour of the social parasite Polyergus rufescens (Latreille, 1798). My researches focused on two main aspects of its biology: the Raiding Behaviour and the Mating Behaviour. Many behavioural patterns were analyzed and I paid particular attention to the chemical communication involved in this context. After my PhD, I shifted my interests to behavioural ecology and to the possibility to use ants as bioindicator in Italian environment. At the moment, I’m focusing to build a solid data base of Italian ant species in relation to their community structure in the most representative ecosystems of Italy.

Work

Università di Parma
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Adjunct Professor

Italy

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University of Parma
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Research Assistant

Italy

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Publications

Ant diversity along elevational gradients in the European Alps: insights for conservation under a changing climate

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Journal of Insect Conservation

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Correction: Ant diversity along elevational gradients in the European Alps: insights for conservation under a changing climate

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Journal of Insect Conservation

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Fight and rescue or give up and flee? Behavioural responses of different ant species tending the mutualist walnut aphid Panaphis juglandis to native and exotic lady beetles

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Bulletin of Entomological Research

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A multidimensional study on population size, deadwood relationship and allometric variation of Lucanus cervus through citizen science

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Insect Conservation and Diversity

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Ants as mealybug detectors: a novel tool for monitoring Planococcus ficus infestation based on ant behaviour

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Agricultural and Forest Entomology

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Unlike rolling stones: not every Myrmecina species actively rolls away from danger (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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The European Zoological Journal

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Different nest entrance architecture by Colobopsis and Temnothorax ants colonizing oak galls

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Insectes Sociaux

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Tool use in pavement battles between ants: first report of Tetramorium immigrans (Hymenoptera, Formicidae) using soil-dropping as an interference strategy

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Insectes Sociaux

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The introduced oak Quercus rubra and acorn‐associated arthropods in Europe: An opportunity for both carpophagous insects and their ant predators

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Ecological Entomology

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Is mimicry a diversification-driver in ants? Biogeography, ecology, ethology, genetics and morphology define a second West-Palaearctic Colobopsis species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

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Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society

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Do It by Yourself: Larval Locomotion in the Black Soldier Fly Hermetia illucens, with a Novel “Self-Harvesting” Method to Separate Prepupae

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Insects

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Do It by Yourself: Larval Locomotion in the Black Soldier Fly <i>Hermetia illucens</i>, with a Novel &ldquo;Self-Harvesting&rdquo; Method to Separate Prepupae

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Insects

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Social Parasite Ants in the Alps: a New Site of the Vulnerable Myrmica myrmicoxena and New Uppermost Altitudinal Limit for M. microrubra

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Sociobiology

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First Report on the Acrobat Ant Crematogaster scutellaris Storing Live Aphids in Its Oak-Gall Nests

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Insects

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First Report on the Acrobat Ant <i>Crematogaster scutellaris</i> Storing Live Aphids in Its Oak-Gall Nests

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Insects

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Rolling away: a novel context-dependent escape behaviour discovered in ants

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Scientific Reports

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Public Engagement Provides First Insights on Po Plain Ant Communities and Reveals the Ubiquity of the Cryptic Species Tetramorium immigrans (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Insects

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Public Engagement Provides First Insights on Po Plain Ant Communities and Reveals the Ubiquity of the Cryptic Species <i>Tetramorium immigrans</i> (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Insects

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Ergatandromorphism in the Ant Myrmica lobulicornis Nylander, 1857 (Formicidae: Myrmicinae)

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Sociobiology

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New tools for conservation biological control: Testing ant-attracting artificial nectaries to employ ants as plant defenders

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Insects

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New Tools for Conservation Biological Control: Testing Ant-Attracting Artificial Nectaries to Employ Ants as Plant Defenders

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Insects

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Gall-colonizing ants and their role as plant defenders: From ‘bad job’ to ‘useful service’

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Insects

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Tasks Performed by Different Groups of Foragers and Regulation of Foraging Activity in the Mediterranean Harvest Ant Messor wasmanni (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Journal of Insect Behavior

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Dominance–diversity relationships in ant communities differ with invasion

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Global Change Biology

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Predatory ability of the ant Crematogaster scutellaris on the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys

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Journal of Pest Science

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Predatory ability of the ant Crematogaster scutellaris on the brown marmorated stink bug Halyomorpha halys

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Journal of Pest Science

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A global database of ant species abundances

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Ecology

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Response of a predatory ant to volatiles emitted by aphidand caterpillar-infested cucumber and potato plants

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Journal of Chemical Ecology

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Interaction between ants and the Mediterranean fruit fly: New insights for biological control

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Biological Control

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Interaction between ants and the Mediterranean fruit fly: New insights for biological control

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Biological Control

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Biochar-macrofauna interplay: Searching for new bioindicators.

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The Science of the total environment

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Biochar–macrofauna interplay: Searching for new bioindicators

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Science of The Total Environment

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Biochar-macrofauna interplay: Searching for new bioindicators

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Science of the Total Environment

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Climate mediates the effects of disturbance on ant assemblage structure

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Proceedings of the Royal Society B-Biological Sciences

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Climate mediates the effects of disturbance on ant assemblage structure

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Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences

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Daily activity patterns and food preferences in an alpine ant community

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Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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Daily activity patterns and food preferences in an alpine ant community

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Ethology Ecology and Evolution

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A NEW EXCEPTION TO THE DOMINANCE-DISCOVERY TRADE-OFF RULE IN ANT COMMUNITIES

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Redia-Giornale Di Zoologia

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A new exception to the dominance-discovery trade-off rule in ant communities

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Redia

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A new exception to the dominance-discovery trade-off rule in ant communities

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Redia

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Ecologists, educators, and writers collaborate with the public to assess backyard diversity in The School of Ants Project

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Ecosphere

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Ecologists, educators, and writers collaborate with the public to assess backyard diversity in the School of Ants Project

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Ecosphere

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THE COMMUNITY STRUCTURE TEMPORAL DEVELOPMENT OF CASTELPORZIANO ANT FAUNA

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Redia-Giornale Di Zoologia

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The ant fauna of Castelporziano Presidential Reserve (Rome, Italy) as a model for the analysis of ant community structure in relation to environmental variation in Mediterranean ecosystems

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Journal of Insect Conservation

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The ant fauna of Castelporziano Presidential Reserve (Rome, Italy) as a model for the analysis of ant community structure in relation to environmental variation in Mediterranean ecosystems

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Journal of Insect Conservation

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Glandular sources of alarm pheromones in the ant Formica rufibarbis (Hymenoptera Formicidae)

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Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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Glandular sources of alarm pheromones in the ant Formica rufibarbis (hymenoptera formicidae)

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Ethology Ecology and Evolution

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The defensive behaviour of two Formica slave-ant species: Coevolutive implications with their parasite Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Italian Journal of Zoology

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The defensive behaviour of two Formica slave-ant species: coevolutive implications with their parasite Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Italian Journal of Zoology

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Chemical communication in mating behaviour of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): 3-Ethyl-4-methylpentanol as a critical component of the queen sex pheromone

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Insectes Sociaux

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Chemical communication in mating behaviour of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae): 3-ethyl-4-methylpentanol as a critical component of the queen sex pheromone

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Insectes Sociaux

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The relationship among morphological traits, sexual behavior and male mating success in the slave-making ant, Polyergus rufescens

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Sociobiology

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The relationship among morphological traits, sexual behavior and male mating success in the slave-making ant, Polyergus rufescens

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Sociobiology

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The relationship among morphological traits, sexual behavior and male mating success in the slave-making ant, Polyergus rufescens

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Sociobiology

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Behavioral bioassays testing the methyl 6-methylsalicylate as a component of the female sex pheromone in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Journal of Insect Behavior

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Behavioral bioassays testing the methyl 6-methylsalicylate as a component of the female sex pheromone in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Journal of Insect Behavior

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Mandible associated glands in queens of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Mandible associated glands in queens of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Insectes Sociaux

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Mandible associated glands in queens of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Insectes Sociaux

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Determination of the mandibular gland secretion of Polyergus rufescens queens by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

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Determination of the mandibular gland secretion of Polyergus rufescens queens by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry [4]

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Journal of Mass Spectrometry

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Determination of the mandibular gland secretion of Polyergus rufescens queens by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry

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Journal of Mass Spectrometry

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How raiders of the slave-making ant polyergus rufescens (hymenoptera formicidae) evaluate a target host nest

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Ethology Ecology and Evolution

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How raiders of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera Formicidae) evaluate a target host nest

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Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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How raiders of the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera Formicidae) evaluate a target host nest

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Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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Investigation by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of trail pheromones in ants

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Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry

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Investigation by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of trail pheromones in ants

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Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry

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Investigation by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of trail pheromones in ants.

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Investigation by solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry of trail pheromones in ants.

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Rapid communications in mass spectrometry : RCM

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The mandibular glands as a source of sexual pheromones in virgin queens of Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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The mandibular glands as a source of sexual pheromones in virgin queens of Polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Italian Journal of Zoology

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The mandibular glands as a source of sexual pheromones in virgin queens of polyergus rufescens (Hymenoptera, Formicidae)

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Italian Journal of Zoology

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Glandular sources of recruitment, trail, and propaganda semiochemicals in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens

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Ethology Ecology & Evolution

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Glandular sources of recruitment, trail, and propaganda semiochemicals in the slave-making ant polyergus rufescens

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Ethology Ecology and Evolution

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Laboratory observations on raiding behaviour of the slave-making ant, Polyergus rufescens

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Italian Journal of Zoology

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Laboratory observations on raiding behaviour of the slave-making ant, polyergus rufescens

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Italian Journal of Zoology

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Glandular sources of recruitment, trail, and propaganda semiochemicals in the slave-making ant Polyergus rufescens

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Cristina Castracani